The quaint settlement of Hope Town was inundated with colourful runners and walkers on a fittingly beautiful Sunday morning. On December 28th, one-hundred and eleven adults and kids tossed colour into the air and ran a 5km road race, starting and finishing at Firefly Sunset Resort.

242 Colour Run livens up the streets of Hope Town

The quaint settlement of Hope Town was inundated with colourful runners and walkers on a fittingly beautiful Sunday morning. On December 28th, one-hundred and eleven adults and kids tossed colour into the air and ran a 5km road race, starting and finishing at Firefly Sunset Resort.

The morning started off early with Albury’s Ferry providing a direct ferry from Marsh Harbour to Firefly. Registrations continued last minute, as those who were in town for the holidays signed up to participate. Participants gathered their reusable race packets, which included a packet of colour, 242 Colour Run sunglasses, 242 and Rotary temporary tattoos, bumper stickers, a race shirt and bib, and samples such as Jergens lotion, Ovaltine biscuits and Pinol laundry detergent.

A few minutes before the 8am race start, the racers, volunteers, and spectators gathered for the much anticipated “colour toss”. Packets of multiple colours were tossed in the air and on each other, livening up the morning. The race then started from Firefly, continuing around the Old White Sound Road and back to Firefly. Runners found encouraging messages sprawled across the roads in every colour. Along the route, multiple colour stations tossed the FDA approved colour onto the participants, dousing them in Flamingo Pink, Bahama Blue, Sunshine Yellow, Seagrass Green, and the appropriately named Lighthouse Red.

Volunteers participated from across Abaco and abroad. The Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Abaco provided support and were also a beneficiary of the event, along with the Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. A family visiting Hope Town for the first time decided to help out as well, their kids mingling in with the colourful action.

The race ended in smiles and cheers and colour-soaked clothes. The racers had ice-cold Vita Coco coconut water and H2Aloe fruit drinks as well as water and Sands Beer to greet them after finishing. A Bahamian-breakfast followed at Firefly’s seafront restaurant.

Prizes were handed out after the race. Participants were drawn at random and won a Hope Town Canvas bag, a Bahamian Life shirt and bandanna, a gift certificate to Firefly, lunch for two at Harbour Edge, kayak nature tours with Abaco Eco, and entries to the 2015 Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend.

Friends and families came together from all over the world, with a large group of over 20 friends participating from Nassau. Abaco was represented, along with persons from across the United States, Canada, the UK and other countries. Many of the racers participated in the event last year, and are looking forward to doing so again in December 2015. Sasha Vaughan, from the UK, declared “So much fun at the 242 Colour Run yesterday!”

Photos were posted across social media from all walks of life. Jessica Albury raved about the experience at the Firefly Sunset Resort, adding photos of their post-race being a “Perfect ending to the 242 Colour Run!” Official and participant photos can be seen on the 242 Colour Run Facebook page.

The next event by PROMPT in Abaco is the Great Abaco Family Fitness Weekend which takes place in March 2015 in Treasure Cay. The weekend-long set of activities includes an open water swim, Sprint and Olympic triathlons, a 5k/10k fun run/walk, a kids’ 1-mile race, and other activities. Further information is available on the event website, www.GAFFW.com

The Hope Town event completed the second year of the 242 Colour Run, with races being held in Nassau, Freeport and Abaco. The third season of the 242 Colour Run will kick off in the spring with a new location, and continue throughout the year and across the Bahamas. More information can be found on their website www.run242.com and on their Facebook page.